Serum metabolites associated with wholegrain consumption using nontargeted metabolic profiling: a discovery and reproducibility study

Purpose: To identify fasting serum metabolites associated with WG intake in a free-living population adjusted for potential confounders. Methods: We selected fasting serum samples at baseline from a subset (n = 364) of the prospective population-based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD) cohort. The samples were analyzed using nontargeted metabolomics with liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Association with WG intake was investigated using both random forest followed by linear regression adjusted for age, BMI, smoking, physical activity, energy and alcohol consumption, and partial Spearman correlation adjusted for the same covariates. Features selected by any of these models were shortlisted for annotation. We then checked if we could replicate the findings in an independent subset from the same cohort (n = 200). Results: Direct associations were observed between WG intake and pipecolic acid betaine, tetradecanedioic acid, four glucuronidated alkylresorcinols (ARs), and an unknown metabolite both in discovery and replication cohorts. The associations remained significant (FDR<0.05) even after adjustment for the confounders in both cohorts. Sinapyl alcohol was positively correlated with WG intake in both cohorts after adjustment for the confounders but not in linear models in the replication cohort. Some microbial metabolites, such as indolepropionic acid, were positively correlated with WG intake in the discovery cohort, but the correlations were not replicated in the replication cohort. Conclusions: The identified associations between WG intake and the seven metabolites after adjusting for confounders in both discovery and replication cohorts suggest the potential of these metabolites as robust biomarkers of WG consumption

Maaoikeusasioiden käsittely käräjäoikeuksissa : Lausuntotiivistelmä

Oikeusministeriö pyysi lausuntoa maaoikeusasioiden käsittelyä käräjäoikeuksissa koskevasta arviomuistiosta. Oikeusministeriöön saapui yhteensä 16 lausuntoa. Lausunnonantajat yhtyvät arviomuistiossa esitettyyn havaintoon siitä, että maaoikeuksien asiamäärät ovat vähentyneet viime vuosina. Toisaalta osa lausunnonantajista arvioi asiamäärien vaihtelevan vuosittain ja mahdollisesti kasvavan. Lausunnonantajat pitävät perusteltuna, että maaoikeusasioiden käsitteleminen keskitetään nykyistä harvempiin käräjäoikeuksiin tai että keskittämistä ainakin selvitetään. Lausunnonantajat eivät kannata maaoikeusasioiden keskittämistä käsiteltäviksi valtakunnallisesti. Lausunnonantajat vastustavat maaoikeusinsinöörien viroista luopumista ja erityisasiantuntemuksen järjestämistä asiantuntijajäseniä hyödyntämällä. Maaoikeuksien tuomiopiirien ja maaoikeusinsinöörien yhteistoiminta-alueiden tarkistamisen tarve riippuu maaoikeuksien määrästä. Myös maaoikeusinsinöörien ja maaoikeusasioiden vastuutuomareiden tarkoituksenmukainen määrä riippuu maaoikeuksien ja vuosittain käsiteltävien maaoikeusasioiden määrästä. Valtaosa lausunnonantajista kannattaa työryhmän perustamista selvittämään maaoikeusasioiden käsittelyn kehittämistä

Maaoikeusasioiden käsittely käräjäoikeuksissa : Lausuntotiivistelmä

Oikeusministeriö pyysi lausuntoa maaoikeusasioiden käsittelyä käräjäoikeuksissa koskevasta arviomuistiosta. Oikeusministeriöön saapui yhteensä 16 lausuntoa. Lausunnonantajat yhtyvät arviomuistiossa esitettyyn havaintoon siitä, että maaoikeuksien asiamäärät ovat vähentyneet viime vuosina. Toisaalta osa lausunnonantajista arvioi asiamäärien vaihtelevan vuosittain ja mahdollisesti kasvavan. Lausunnonantajat pitävät perusteltuna, että maaoikeusasioiden käsitteleminen keskitetään nykyistä harvempiin käräjäoikeuksiin tai että keskittämistä ainakin selvitetään. Lausunnonantajat eivät kannata maaoikeusasioiden keskittämistä käsiteltäviksi valtakunnallisesti. Lausunnonantajat vastustavat maaoikeusinsinöörien viroista luopumista ja erityisasiantuntemuksen järjestämistä asiantuntijajäseniä hyödyntämällä. Maaoikeuksien tuomiopiirien ja maaoikeusinsinöörien yhteistoiminta-alueiden tarkistamisen tarve riippuu maaoikeuksien määrästä. Myös maaoikeusinsinöörien ja maaoikeusasioiden vastuutuomareiden tarkoituksenmukainen määrä riippuu maaoikeuksien ja vuosittain käsiteltävien maaoikeusasioiden määrästä. Valtaosa lausunnonantajista kannattaa työryhmän perustamista selvittämään maaoikeusasioiden käsittelyn kehittämistä

Associations of reproductive factors with postmenopausal follicle stimulating hormone

Recent studies have suggested that higher postmenopausal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) may be associated with lower risk of diabetes. However, relatively little is known about postmenopausal FSH levels, including the level of variation between women and whether reproductive factors are associated with this variation.Peer reviewe

Serum copper-to-zinc-ratio and risk of incident infection in men : the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study

Infections are one of the main causes of mortality in elderly due to the decrease of immune response, for which copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are claimed to be crucial. High serum copper-to-zinc-ratio (Cu/Zn-ratio) has been reported with infections, but little is known whether it could also predict the incidence of infections. The study cohort consisted of 1975 men aged 42-60 years and free of severe infectious disease at baseline in 1984-1989 from the prospective population-based Kuopio Ischaemic & xfeff; Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. The main outcome was an incident infection leading to hospitalization. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used for statistical analysis. During the average follow-up of 19.2 years, 636 incident first cases of infections were diagnosed. The hazard ratio (HR) of developing an incident infectious disease in the highest compared to the lowest Cu/Zn-ratio quartile after adjustment for age and baseline examination year was 1.35 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-1.69, P-trend across quartiles = 0.005]. The association was slightly attenuated after additional adjustment for potential confounders (HR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.96-1.53, P-trend = 0.054). Furthermore, higher serum Cu concentration was associated with higher risk of an incident infection. The multivariable-adjusted HR was 1.39 (95% CI = 1.10-1.75, P-trend = 0.005) in the highest versus the lowest serum Cu quartile. Serum Zn concentration was not associated with the risk (multivariable-adjusted extreme-quartile HR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.67-1.04, P-trend = 0.218). In conclusion, our data suggest that an increased Cu/Zn-ratio and especially serum Cu concentration are associated with increased risk of incident infections in middle-aged and older men in Eastern Finland.Peer reviewe

Serum n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of atrial fibrillation : the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study

Purpose N-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly linoleic acid (LA), have been associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but little is known about their antiarrhythmic properties. We investigated the association of the serum n-6 PUFAs with the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia. Methods The study included 2450 men from the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study, aged 42-60 years at baseline. The total n-6 PUFA includes linoleic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (AA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA). Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) of incident events. Results During the mean follow-up of 22.4 years, 486 AF cases occurred. The multivariable-adjusted HR in the highest versus the lowest quartile of total serum n-6 PUFA concentration was 0.79 (95% CI 0.58-1.08, P trend = 0.04). When evaluated individually, only serum LA concentration was inversely associated with AF risk (multivariable-adjusted extreme-quartile HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.51-0.94, P trend = 0.02). These associations were stronger among the men without history of CHD or congestive heart failure at baseline, compared to men with such disease history (P for interaction = 0.05 for total n-6 PUFA and LA). Similar associations were observed with dietary LA and AA intakes. No significant associations were observed with serum AA, GLA or DGLA concentrations. Conclusions Higher circulating concentration and dietary intake of n-6 PUFA, mainly LA, are associated with lower risk of AF, especially among men without history of CHD or congestive heart failure.Peer reviewe

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone is Associated with Lipids in Postmenopausal Women

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between FSH and lipid levels in postmenopausal women from the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. Methods: Postmenopausal women (n = 588) aged 53 to 73 years and not using hormone therapy were included. The relation between FSH and total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TGs) was evaluated using linear regression, adjusting for estradiol, body mass, smoking, and other hormonal and lifestyle factors. The relation between FSH, dyslipidemia, and abnormal lipid levels were also evaluated. Results: FSH was positively and linearly associated with TC (P = 0.001) and LDL-C (P = 0.01) in all participants, with stronger relations seen in younger compared with older postmenopausal women. FSH was less strongly associated with HDL-C and TG. FSH was not associated with dyslipidemia; however, higher FSH was associated with increased risk of high TC (P = 0.02) and high LDL-C (P = 0.03). Conclusions: These data suggest that higher FSH in postmenopausal women is related to higher levels of both TC and LDL-C

Associations of the serum n-6 PUFA with exercise cardiac power in men

Low intake or tissue concentrations of the n-6 PUFA, especially to the major n-6 PUFA linoleic acid (LA), and low exercise cardiac power (ECP) are both associated with CVD risk. However, associations of the n-6 PUFA with ECP are unknown. The aim of the present study was to explore cross-sectional associations of the serum total n-6 PUFA, LA, arachidonic acid (AA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) concentrations with ECP and its components. In total, 1685 men aged 42-60 years from the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study and free of CVD were included. ANCOVA was used to examine the mean values of ECP (maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max)/maximal systolic blood pressure (SBP)) and its components in quartiles of the serum total and individual n-6 PUFA concentrations. After multivariable adjustments, higher serum total n-6 PUFA concentration was associated with higher ECP and VO2max (for ECP, the extreme-quartile difference was 0 center dot 77 ml/mmHg (95 % CI 0 center dot 38, 1 center dot 16, P (for trend) across quartiles < 0 center dot 001) and for VO2max 157 ml/min (95 % CI 85, 230, P (for trend) < 0 center dot 001), but not with maximal SBP. Similar associations were observed with serum LA concentration. Higher serum AA concentration was associated with higher ECP but not with VO2max or maximal SBP. The minor serum n-6 PUFA GLA and DGLA were associated with higher maximal SBP during exercise test and DGLA also with higher VO2max but neither with ECP. In conclusion, especially LA concentration was associated with higher ECP. This may provide one mechanism for the cardioprotective properties of, especially, LA.Peer reviewe

Change in β2-agonist use after severe life events in adults with asthma : A population-based cohort study Life events and bronchodilator usage among adults with asthma

Objective: This prospective, population-based cohort study of 1102 Finnish adults with asthma, examined whether exposure to stressful life events is associated with the intensity of usage of inhaled short-acting beta(2)-agonists. Methods: Survey data was collected by two postal questionnaires. Baseline characteristics were obtained in 1998 and data on 19 specific stressful events (e.g. death of a child or spouse or divorce) within the six preceding months in 2003. Exposure to life events was indicated by a sum score weighted by mean severity of the events. Participants were linked to records of filled prescriptions for inhaled short-acting beta(2)-agonists from national registers from 2000 through 2006. The rates of purchases of short-acting beta(2)-agonists before (2000 2001), during (2002 2003) and after (2004-2006) the event exposure were estimated using repeated-measures Poisson regression analyses with the generalized estimating equation. Results: Of the 1102 participants, 162 (15%) were exposed to highly stressful events, 205 (19%) to less stressful events. During the 7-year observation period, 5955 purchases of filled prescription for inhaled short-acting beta(2)-agonists were recorded. After exposure to highly stressful events, the rate of purchases of beta(2)-agonists was 1.50 times higher (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05, 2.13) than before the stressful event occurred. Among those with low or no exposure to life events, the corresponding rate ratios were not elevated (rate ratio 0.81, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.99 and 0.95, 95% CI: 0.83, 1.09 respectively). Conclusion: An increase in beta(2)-agonist usage after severe life events suggests that stressful experiences may worsen asthma symptoms.Peer reviewe